Such an electromagnetic drive device as disclosed in the German patent publication DE 19,900,762 C2 possesses only two pole pieces arranged on opposite sides of the drive part, which are each surrounded in an annular manner by a coil, able to conduct current, so that the axial direction of the coils is the same as the magnetization direction of the magnet portions of the drive part. In the preferred design the drive part is flat and plate-like.
In the case of many applications, more especially for valves a particularly flat design of the overall electromagnetic drive device is important. Using the known arrangement a flat design is not able to be realized.